Leaving...

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Fifty per cent of my children were at home yesterday.  Son number two has schlepped down from the north for a thirty six hour whistle stop visit.  He has calculated that this is enough time to get his washing done, buy enough food to last a week (more on this later) and sleep.  Between these requirements, he's managed to bore the socks off me with Contract Law and details of legal cases circa 1758.  Such is the life of a Law student.  

Still, it's a vast improvement on pensions and ISAs, which is daughter number two's topics of choice.  Between them, they have the ability to make my eyes glaze over within fourteen seconds.  She is back to catch up with son number two and when their conversation turned to the financial and legal implications of Brexit, I beat a hasty retreat to the lounge where I could lose myself in the uncomplicated banality of Tipping Point.

So back to the shopping.  Son number two is highly skilled in pulling on my heart strings, and when he told me that he was finding it hard to feed himself on the few pence left over after his alcohol had been taken care of, I suggested that I take him to Aldi.  He had the audacity to turn his nose up, and implied that I was paying, surely we would be going to Tesco.  Oh no, my friend, it's because I am paying that we are going to Aldi.

Once he got over the initial shock of the leaf blowers next to the cereal, he was off.  It was like a thirty second trolley dash around the store, with my 6'4" kid chucking things in like there was no tomorrow.  He balked at the Aldi equivalent of Lurpak, but was very happy with the amount of bacon he could get for £5.  I've calculated that my £93 bill was made up of around £26 for me (a lean week for us) and the rest for him.  I had to distribute his purchases throughout the two fridge freezers I happen to have, and I have money riding on him going home later today and forgetting the bloody lot.  

To top off their short visit home, the husband took us all out for curry last night.   For the second time in five hours, son number two managed a trolley dash through the menu, only admitting that he was full when every bowl was empty.  This was a relief to the husband as he was wondering whether a second mortgage would be necessary.

The two children leave again today.

I miss them already...


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